Passion, tech open new chapter at Fountain Valley High library

Avid reader Trina Vu, 14, holds two reading options at the Fountain Valley High School library. The school library has updated technology which allows students to checkout e-book readers. Students can read books on e-readers, laptops, phones or the old-school way.ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Library engages students in reading more

The staff at Fountain Valley High School's library makes the process of checking out books and doing research more interesting with the use of technology.

Students can use a smart phone app to find books that suit their tastes, and a flat-screen monitor showcases the library's current top 10 books.

Like movie trailers, students can watch short movies online, revealing stories and plotlines.

Since 2007, the average number of books checked out per student has risen from 3.5 to nine per year.

Source: Fountain Valley High School library staff

The library at Fountain Valley High School seems like any other.

There are rows of bookshelves, computers for students to use and tables for studying.

But in the last few years, the library has become much more than just a place where students check out books. It's where students use technology to get interested in books and research, and become avid readers.

To them, the library feels like home.

Tanya Wong, 17, wasn't that involved with the library until her senior year, when she realized all the resources available.

The school uses a smartphone app for students to find and check out books, and they can even watch book trailers – like movie trailers – online, to see if they're interested in checking out the book.

“I realized I have the app, and there's eBooks and movie trailers,” said Wong, a Westminster native. “It changed how much I read. It's just so much more interesting to be able to do things on an app.”

And Wong is no anomaly. Sharon Watkins, the library assistant, said that since she began working here in 2007, she's seen student traffic and interest in the library increase.

In 2007, students checked out an average of 3½ books each year. In the 2012-2013 school year, that average increased to nine books per student.

Part of that increased traffic might be because of Superintendent Greg Plutko's decision to dedicate a chunk of time each day to silent reading for students.

But it also could be due in part to the library staff's effort to make sure they always have every book a student is looking for and create a welcoming, social media-savvy and up-to-date facility.

Stephanie Taylor, a teacher librarian at the high school, said she focuses on trying to build personal connections with students so they become engaged with the staff.

“They feel comfortable here,” said Taylor. “They always feel like they can come to any of us and ask anything. I want this to be a place where they can come to have their questions answered.”

Aside from books for pleasure, the library also helps prepare students with the research skills they'll need in college.

Fountain Valley High School social studies teacher Julie Chaicharee said students don't feel intimidated about asking for help when it comes to using what could be confusing catalog resources.

Avid reader Trina Vu, 14, holds two reading options at the Fountain Valley High School library. The school library has updated technology which allows students to checkout e-book readers. Students can read books on e-readers, laptops, phones or the old-school way. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students Sophie Hettick, left, holds a library reader while Khoi Pham, right, views his personal iPad in the Fountain Valley High School library. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Brothers Husien Khiar, 16, and Hasen Khiar, 16, work on the school library computers after school. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Instructional aide Marcos Cerda holds a Chrome Book stored in carts that teachers can wheel to their classrooms. The carts also hold other technology options for classrooms at Fountain Valley High School. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Instructional aide Marcos Cerda holds a Chrome Book stored in carts that teachers can wheel to their classrooms. The carts also hold other technology options for classrooms at Fountain Valley High School. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Librarian Stephanie Taylor checks out books while a TV screen promotes trailers of books that can be checked out for e-readers, cell phones, computers or in old school book style. The Fountain Valley High School Library is doing really interesting work integrating technology. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Student Sophie Hettick with a reader checked out from the Fountain Valley library. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Student Adrianna Stopol, 15, studies on the floor of the Fountain Valley High School library. Students can read checked-out books on their cell-phones. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students pack the computers at Fountain Valley High School library after school. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Library assistant Sharon Watkins, right, explains the Follet Shelf e-reader which can be checked out at the Fountain Valley High School library. School librarian Stephanie Taylor stands at left. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students Alexander Nguyen, 15, Victor Gonzalez, 16, and Minh Le, 14, get on the Fountain Valley High School computers in the school library. The school is doing really interesting work integrating technology into the library's services to get students involved in using library resources. ANA VENEGAS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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